Strap tensioning and sealing device



2i, i937. HIJ. SPENCER STRAP TENSIONING AND sEALING- DEVICE Filed May28,- 1955.

4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR www '21, 1937. l H. J. SPENCER v STRAPTENSIONING ANDv SEALING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1935 4 sheets-shew 2 STRAPTENSIONING AND SEALING DEVICE H. J. SPENCER Filed May 28, 1935 4sheetssheet4 5 I Dec. 2, 19337;.4 H. J. SPENCER STRAP TENSIONING AND2,102,981 SEALING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed My 28, 1935 LN'vENToR lPatented Dee. 21, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,102,981 STRAP TENSIONING-ANDSEALING DEVICE Herman J. Spencer, West by mesne assignments,

OHara Township, Pa., sylvania Application May y 19 Claims.

My invention relates to a'device for securing together the ends of ametallic reinforcing strip or belt passed around a container or bundle.

While severalv devices of this general character have been knownheretofore, those with which Iv am familiar are all characterized bycertain objectionable features. An object of my invention, therefore, isto produce a strap fastening device characterized by simplicity andrelatively low rcost of construction, a high degree of effectiveness inoperation, and requiring little or no maintenance. Other novel featuresof the invention and the advantages thereof will be pointed out in thecourse'of the following detailed description, an`d specificallyenumerated.` in the appended claims.

In accordance with my invention', I provide a device having a base and astandard mounted thereon. A plunger, a presser head, and bending jawsare reciprocable in the standard for engagement with strands of strap orother similar metallic binder, extending below the latter. .Afastening-clip feeder including' a magazine adaptedto hold fiat blanksis disposed adjacent the standard and adapted to feed clips below theplunger. Means are also provided for drawing. the strands of straptightly about .the box or other package before attaching thefasteningclip. The strands of strap are fastened in the followingmanner, viz, by disposing a fiat clip blank thereon, bending the `edgesof the clip yaround the edges of the strap strands, and indenting orcrimping the edges of the clip and the strands to effect a mechanicalinterlocking thereof which prevents relative movement of the strands ofstrap.

For a complete understanding of the invention, reference is made to theaccompanying drawings illustrating a present preferred embodiment,although it will be understood that. numerous details shown anddescribed may be otherwise embodied without, departing from the scope ofmy broader claims. Referring in detail to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the clip showing the manner of itsapplication to and the mechanical interlocking thereof with the meetingends of a reinforcing strap or band; 1

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 isa sectional'lview along the line III- III of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the device of my invention;

Figure 5 is a side elevation'thereof; l

Figure 6 is an endelevation as seen when. look'- i'ng from the left inFigure 5;

View, Pa., assignor, to Leechgrip Company, a corporation of Penn- 28,1935, Serial No.'23,895

Figure 7 isa sectional view along the4 line VII-VII of Figure 6, partly`broken away, with parts shown in elevation;

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 7 showing the parts atanintermediate operating stage;

Figure 9 is a sectional view similar to Figure '7 showing the parts at amore advanced stage of operation; Figure 10 is a view taken along theline X-X of Figure 6, showing parts in section with a bottom plan viewof the remaining parts;

Figure 11 is a partial sectional view substantially along 'the lineXf-XI of Figure 7, parts being broken away for clearness inillustration, showing the positions of theparts corresponding generallyto Figure 7, such that the presser head, jaws and plunger have beenadvanced into contact with the fastening clip;

Figure 12 is a view similar to Figure 11 showing positions of the partscorresponding to Figure 8; Figure 13 is a view similar to Figurellshowing positions of the parts corresponding generally to Figure 9;`

Figure 14 is a sectional view similar to Figure' 11 but is taken alongthe line XIV- XIV of Figure 5, and shows the parts in about the samepositio'n `as Figure 11;

Figure 15 is a View similar to Figure 14 showing the parts in the sameposition as Figure 13; and

Figure 16 is a side elevation of a detail.

Referring now in detail to thedrawings, the device comprises a base I0having a standard I I mounted thereon. The standard is split along asubstantially central plane as indicated at I2, for convenience inassembling, into `two portions I3 and I4 secured together by screws I2a.The .portion I3 of the standard is secured to and supported on the baseIII. 'I'he portion I4 is carried onthe portion I3 in overhangingrelation to one edge of the base Ill, which is taperedv or feathered offas at I5 to facilitate the entry of such edge under the meeting ends ofa metallic strap or band I6 disposed around a box or other packageindicated generally at I1. The tapered edge of the base I0 is slotted atI will presently appear.. u

In use, the strap I6 is drawn from a coil indicated generally at I9,wrapped. around the box I1, and the free end brought back under theportion of the strap extending to the coil, as shown in Figure 5. Thedevice is then moved so that the tapered edge of the base Ill entersunder the free end of the strap. 'Iips 20 on the edge of the base IIJserve to hold the device in proper re- 8 for a purpose which lto severthe coil portion of the strap after it has I lation to the stra-p onceit has been positioned. The coil portion of the strap is disposedbetween a shearing block 2| secured to the base and the lower edge of anormally upraised reciprocable shearing cutter 22. The inner faces ofthe portions I3 and I4 of the standard II are shaped to guidereciprocating movement of the cutter 22, which is actuable by means tobe described later,

been tightened and before a fastening-clip has been appliedto the twooverlying strands thereof. Keepers 23 vand 24 are pivoted on thestandard I I to engage the strands of the strap and hold the device inproper relation thereto. The keeper 23 is operated manually. Automaticmeans for raising and lowering the keeper 24 will be described shortly.

Before shearing the strap from the coil, it is desirable that it be heldtightly around the box or other container, or bundle. A lateralextension 25 of the standard II provides bearings for a shaft 26. Alever 21 is movable longitudinally in a hub socket 28 which is rotatableon the shaft 26. The lever 21 has a pin 29 adapted to enter acorrespondingly shaped radial hole in the shaft 26, and a spring 3Bwound around a pin 3| disposed in a slot 32 adjacent the end of thelever 21. 'Ihe spring 3U abuts against a screw 33 threaded into the hubsocket 28.v The pin 29 is thus forced into its hole -by the spring 30whenever it is disposed in alignment therewith, to provide a positiveconnection between the lever 21 and the shaft 26. The lever 21, however,may be freed from the shaft 26, if desired, by longitudinal movementagainst the l pressure of the spring 30, to withdraw the pin 29 from thehole in the shaft.

The shaft 26 is provided with an eccentric por- From the foregoing, itwill be apparent that theband-tightening means, including the tootheddiscs 35 and the ratchet wheel 36, may be moved toward and away from thestrap I 6 by rotating the shaft 26, because of the eccentricity of theportion 34 of the shaft. Wln the strap-tightening means has been movedinto engagement with the strap, for example, by manual operation of the'lever 21, the lever 31 may be swung up and down by hand to drive theratchet wheel 36 and the toothed discs 35. A pin or plug 40 extendingupwardly through the base I0 is provided with a toothed upper surfaceadapted to engage the free end of the strap when the latter ispositioned as shown in Figure 5. The plug is effective to hold the freeend of the strap against movement while the coil portion of the strap ismoved'thereover by rotation of the discs 35 to tighten the strap on thebox I1. The disc teeth bite into the strap sufliciently .to pull it verytightly around the box as the lever 31 is pressed down to turn thediscs.

When the strap-has been tightened around the box as described above, thefree end is ready to be attached-permanently to the coil portion of thestrap and the latter sheared from the body of the coil. I utilize asubstantially at rectangular sheet metal clip 4I adapted to have itsedges bent around the strap, as shown in vFigures 1 through 3, andcrimped at 42 to permanently bind the two ends of the strap againstrelative movement. A supply of clip blanks is maintained in a magazine43 mounted on the standard II. The magazine 43 comprises a sheet metalchannel 44 having a sliding cover 45 thereon. The side walls of thechannel are bent down adjacent the upper end thereof to form abutments46 for the spring 41 effective to force the blanks downwardly toward afeeder. The stack of blanks in the magazine is indicated at 48.

A feeder slide 49 is reciprocable in a guide channel 58 mounted on thebase I0 and has a' nger 5I projecting upwardly through a slot 50a in theguide channel 50 which is effective to advance the bottom `blank fromthe stack 48 along the top of the channel 50, into position to bepressed down onto the overlying strands of strap, bent therearound, andcrimped thereto. The slide 49 is actuated by a nger 49a pivoted to thebase I 0 and working through a slot in one side of the guide channel 50.The nger 49a has a slot 49h through which a pin 26a extending radiallyfrom the shaft 26, projects. The shape of the slot 49h is such that onrotation of the shaft 26, the pin 26a causes the finger 49aA tooscillate. The finger 49a is provided with a pin 49c projecting througha slot in the keeper 24 whereby the latter is raised when the finger 49aretracts the slide 49.

The means for vpressing the clip blank down on the strap, bending andcrimping it, includes a presser head 52 which is reciprocable insuitable guides formed in the standard II. As shown in Figure 5, theguide channel 50 extends through a suitably shaped opening in theportion I3 of the standard. Adjacent said opening, a holder 53 ispivoted, as shown in Figure 7. The holder 53 is normally urged by asuitable spring 53a into engagement with the lower end of the presserhead 52. The edge of the holder nearest the opening through which theguide channel50 extends, is slightly beveled to permit a clip blank toadvance easily between the holder and the presser head. When advancedinto a position under the presser head by a finger 5I, the clip blank isheld there by the holder 53 until the latter is depressed, by means tobe described later, whereupon the holder 53 swings aside, as shown inFigures 8 and 9. It returns to theposition of Figure '7, however, whenthe presser head is retracted.

The guides for the presser head 52 are shown at 54 and the h'ead isprovided with lugs 55 (Figure A14) cooperating with these guides. Thehead is of generally U-shape having a bottom v56 and sides 51. A pair ofbending jaws 58 are carried between the sides 51. A plunger 59 isreciprocable between the jaws 58 and between the sides 51. A pin 60extends through a slot 6I in the plunger 59, through holes in the upperportionsl .the plunger 59 upwardly relative to the head 52,

. 2,162,981 to'the extent'permitted by the length of the slots' v 8I and62, and the jaws open.

A hand lever 68 is pivoted to the plunger59 adjacent its upper end.Links 89 are pivotally connected to the lever 68 and to the portions ,I3and I4 of the standard II, The links89 have cam surfaces 10 thereonadapted to cooperate with cam rollers 1I on the plunger, as shown inFigures 8 and 9 after the plunger has been started downward by theinitial movement of the lever 68. l l

The operation of the device will now be described. The strap I6 havingbeen disposed about the box I1 and held therearound by the operation ofthe levers 21 and 31 in the manner already described, the coilv end ofthe strap is then sheared off. This is effected by pulling the lever 21longitudinally to free it from the shaft 26 by removal of the pin 29from its hole. The strands of the strap I6 remain gripped between thediscs 35 andthe plug 40. On counterclockwise rotation i* of the lever21, it engages the outturned end of a lever 19 pivoted at 80 ontheportion I4 of the' standard II. The lever 19 has an inturned end 8Iprojecting between the portions I3 and I 4 of the standard II. The innerend 8| of the lever 19 has anger 82 thereon which works in a suitablyshaped hole in the upper end of the shearing cutter 22, as best shown inFigures 5 and '7. Continued rotation of the lever 21 causes clockwiserotation of the lever 19, exert-ing a downwardthrust on the shearingcutter, with the result that the coil portion of the strap is severedfrom the portion lwrapped around the box.

'The lever 21 is held stationary at its extreme counterclockwiseposition and the next step is ythe operation of lever 68.

The lever21, of course, when operated to force the toothed disc's 35into engagement 4with the upper strand of the strap, rotates the shaft26 counter-clockwise and thereby feeds a clip blank from the magazine 43between the bottom 56 of the presserhead' 52v and the spring-pressedpivoted holder 53.

As the lever 68is rotated, the plunger 59 descends. A spring 12 bearingon one end' of thc pin 80 causes the plunger 59 to descend to the extentpermitted by the other parts, without engagement of the rollers 1I bythe links 69. This is deferred until the latter part'cf the operationwhen it is desired to exert greater pressure on the plunger. During theinitial portion of this operation, a -detent 15 loosely mounted in aslot 1G in' one side of 'the plunger 59 is adapted to engage the pin 60at its lower fmd an d, at its upper, to cooperate with a xed stop 11carried between the portions I3 and I4'of the standard II, andprojecting into the slot 16. When the plunger is retracted, the detent15 and the stop 11- are disposed side by side in the slot1i, as shown inFigure 14. This causes the jaws 58 to descend with the plunger in theiropened position, since the pin pas'ses through theholes adjacent theupper ends of the jaws. The springs 61, of course, cause the head 52 tomove downwardly with the plunger pressing the clip downl wardly ontothestrap I6 in somewhat the manner shown in'Figure 8, and simultaneuslydisplacing the holder 53. When the bottom 56 of the presser head 52 hasforced the clip to lie flatl on the upper strand ofufthe strap I8, it isarrested in its downward movement. Further movement of the plunger 59,however, compresses the spring 61 and forces the clip tightly down onthe strands Aand pressesthe strands tosurfaces 10 to engage the rollers1I tom 56 of thepresser head 52 This position of the parts is shown inFigure 9. 45

of the jaws 58 continues until the ends of the 5 pin 60 strike thebottom of the recesses 83 throughv which they project. Further movementof the plunger is possible, however, since the pin 60 passes through aslot therein. The jawsv 58 can-` not descend further, however, becausethey pivot l0' on the pin 60.

The detent 15, however, has a shoulder 18, and the slot l18 has acorresponding shoulder adjacent its lower end. As the plunger 59descends,

the detent 15 moves withv it initially but ,is stopped l5 l when the pin69 engages the bottoms of the recesses 63. On further downward movementof the plunger, the shoulder 18 on the detent and the correspondingshoulder on the side ofthe slot 16 forces the detent 15 into a tiltedposition 20 shown ,in Figure 15, in Awhich itv engages under the stop15. In that position, the detent holds the pin 60 in its extremedownward position while `further bending and the crimping of the clip iscompleted. The pin 68 which traverses the 25 overlapping slots (i5-inthe jaws, however, is carried downward by further movement of theplunger and as it enters the lower portions of the p slots 65, it drawsthe jaws together. As shown in Figure 8, when the pin 6l) reaches thelimit of 30 its downward movement, the jaws 5.8 have been forced belowthe level of the strap strands and.V have bent the edges of the 'clip atsubstantially right angles to the body thereof. Further downwardmovement of the plunger '66 therewith, causes the jaws to be contractedyas shown in Figures l2 and 13, to b end the clip edges around and underthe strap strands.

Further rotation of the lever 68 causes the cam plunger down with greatpressure. The lower end of the plunger is provided with crimping teeth13 adapted to project through slots 14 in the bo`tand the jaws 58.

The engagement of the clip by the teeth 13 under great pressure causesthe crimping eiect shown at 42 in Figure 1.

When the plunger 59 has been retracted, permitting the shoulder 'i8 tomove under the cor- 50 responding shoulder on the wall of the slot 16,the jaws have been completely opened and the `detent 15 `is thenrestored to the position of Figure 14 due to the upward pressure exertedon the .pin 69 by the lower end of the slot 6I in the 55 plunger.

The lever 21 is then position and the shaft vlease the grip of thediscsrestored to its previous 26 turned thereby to re# 35 on the strap. The

whole device may then be slipped out from under 60 the strap, which hasbeen tightened around the container or bundle and permanently fastened.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that the inventionprovides a device for expeditiously and effectively securing togetherthe/65 ends of a binding or reinforcing strap passing around a containeror bundle. It -will also be apparent that the device is relativelysimple in construction so that it^can be manufactured comparativelycheaply and operated by unskilled 70 labor. The device is compact andcomplete and, at the same time, is of such size that it can easily behandled. The one unitary 4device incorporates means for tightening,binding and severing the strap, lautomatic mechanism to feed an un- 76carrying the pin 35 and force the 40 formed clip, said clip.

The use of a flat, rectangular clip blank instead of a partially formedclip as heretofore employed represents a material advantage in the lowcost of making the clip blanks and the great facility with which theblanks may' be stacked compactly.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but one preferredembodiment of the invention, it will be recognized that changes in theconstruction disclosed may be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention `or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A strap fastening device comprising a standard, a plungerreciprocable therein, means for feeding a fastening-clip below theplunger, a strap tightening disc, and means for actuating the disc mtoengagement with a strap disposed beneath the plunger, said feeding meansbeing operated by said actuating means.

2. A strap fastening device comprising a standard, a plungerreciprocable therein for binding together strands of strap disposedtherebelow, meansfor tightening the strap before binding, a hand'leverfor moving said means into engagement with strap passing beneath theplunger, a shear for cutting the strap, a lever for actuating the shear,said hand lever being disengageable from said tightening means andeffective on rotation to operate the shear actuating lever.

3. A strap fastening device comprising a standard, a, plungerreciprocable therein,`and means for operating the plunger oted to theplunger, and a link pivoted to the lever and the standard, and acooperating cam and follower on said link and plunger, effective toinand means to completely deform lcrease the mechanical advantage of thelever in operating the plunger, at a predetermined time.

4. A strap fastening device comprising a standard, a presser headreciprocable therein, a magazine for fastening-clips adjacent thestandard, means for feeding clips beneath the head including a guideterminating adjacent the head, and a clip holder pivoted adjacent theguide, eective to hold a clip advanced along said guide against saidhead, and displaceable by said head on movement thereof.

5. A strap fastening device comprising a base having a standard thereon,and means for binding together strands of strap extending below thestandard including a presser head reciprocable in the standard, aplunger movable through the head, bending jaws pivotally and slidablyconnected to the head and plunger, means for limiting movement of thehead, and means for yieldingly holding the plunger upraised relative tothe head, and the jaws open.

6. .The apparatus deflned by claim 5 characterized by means effective toclose the jaws on continued movement of the plunger after the headreaches the limit of its movement. 7. The apparatus dened by claim 5characterized by means eective after the plunger has moved suflicientlyto close the jaws to prevent opening thereof until the plunger isretracted.

8. Strap fastening mechanism comprising a standard, a presser headmovable therein, a plunger having crimping teeth movable through thehead, bending jaws pivoted on a pin traversing slots in said head andplunger, and means for operating the presser head, the plunger and thebending jaws.

including a lever piv- 9. Strap fastening mechanism comprisinga:

the head, said head having a portion with slots toy admit said teeth.

11. Strap fastening mechanism comprising a standard, a plungerreciprocable therein, bending jaws pivoted on said plungerand movabletherewith, means for limiting movement of the jaws with the plunger,overlapping cam slots in said jaws and a. pin on the plunger enteringsaid slots to close the jaws on movement of the plunger after the jawshave reached the limit of their movement with the plunger.

12. In a strap fastening device, a shearing cutter, a lever foractuating the cutter, strap-gripping means and a lever for actuatingsaid means, said last-mentioned lever being disengageable from saidmeans and eifective on movement thereof to actuate the first-mentionedlever.

l 13. 'I'he apparatus defined by claim 1 characterized by a keeper forholding strap below the standard, and means operated by said actuatingmeans for raising and lowering said keeper.

14. A strap fastening device comprising a standard, a plungerreciprocable therein for binding together strands of strap disposedtherebelow. apparatus for .feeding a fastening clip below the plunger, apair of keepers for maintaining the strands of the strap' in alinement,one of the keepers being movable, and means actuated by the clip feedingmeans for moving the said movable keeper into strap alining position.

15. Apparatus for fastening together the ends of a binding strapcomprising a standard, a reciprocating presser head mounted therein, aplunger reciprocable in said presser head, a plurality of pivotallymounted bending and crimping jaws arranged to be actuated by saidplunger, said jaws being normally disposed above the level of the strap,a magazine for fastening clips adjacent the standard, means for feedinga fastening clip from the magazine to below the said presser head, meansfor holding a clip below said presser head, and actuating devices formoving theV plunger, the presser head and said jaws substantiallysimultaneously, initial movement of the plunger operating to lower thepresser head and the fastening clip onto the strap positionedtherebelow, and further movement of the plunger in the same directionoperating to move the jaws downwardly past the plane of the fasteningclip and the strap and to bend the fastening' clip around the strap andto crimp the same.

16. Apparatus for fastening together the ends of a binding strapcomprising a standard, a reciprocating presser head mounted therein, a

1 plunger reciprocable in said presser head, a pluing clip from themagazine to below the said presser head, means for holding a clip belowsaid presser head, actuating devices for actuating the plunger, thepresser head and the said jaws, said actuating devices being so arrangedthat initial movement of the plunger will operate to lower the presserhead and the fastening clip onto the strap positioned therebelowl andfurther lmovement of .the plunger in the same direction' will operate tomove the jaws downwardly past the plane of the fastening clip and thestrap and to bend the fastening Aclip around the strap, and crimpingmeans carried by the plunger, the crimping means being brought intooperative engagement with the clip andl strap by further movement of theplunger in the same direction as aforesaid.

17. 'I'he apparatus defined in claim 15, characterized by means forgripping the strap for tightening it, and connections between said meansand said clip feeding means to operate the latter simultaneously withthe former.

18. Apparatus for fastening together the ends of a binding strap and aclip-seal comprising means for holding the strap ends in superposedrelationship, feeding and guiding apparatus for positioning asubstantially at clip blank transversely of the ends of the strap withthe ends of the clip projecting laterally therefrom, holddown means forholding the strap and clip in superposed relationship. a pair of movablejaws,

and'means including a reciprocableplunger for successively moving thehold-down means into operative position and the jaws into engagementwith the free ends of the'clip and'for bending v the free ends of theclip through an angle substantially greater than 90 around the strapends.

19. Apparatus for fastening together the ends of a binding strap and aclip-seal comprising means for tensioning and holding -the strap ends insuperposed relationship, clip feeding and guiding apparatus forpositioning a substantially at clip vblank transversely of the ends ofthe strap with the ends of the clip projecting laterally ,therefromhold-down means for holding the strap and clip in super-'posedrelationship, a pair of movable jaws, means -including a reciprocableplunger for successively moving the hold-down means intooperativeposition and the jaws into engagement with the free ends of theclip and. for

.bending the free ends of the clip through an angie substantiallygreater than 90 yaround the strap ends, an'dmeans actuated by theplungerfor crimping the strap and clip.

i HERMAN J. sPENoER.

